The role of industry in economies of European socialist states

The article contains the results of research on structural changes in industry of 7 European CMEA countries in years 1970 -1985 in connection with the respective levels of their economic development, In order to observe the process of industrial growth of those countries the following problems were subject to a detailed analysis: — the comparative review of the trend of correlation between the participation of industry in national economy and the level of national income per one employee ; — the shaping on an international scale of differentiation of the growth of outlays and the productivity of production factors engaged in industries of particular CMEA member states; — the degree of participation of industries of particular CMEA member states in the international division of labour, with attention paid to its time and spatial diversification. The analysis proved the empirical dependence of the development of industries of European CMEA countries on their national income levels per one employee and showed significant similarities among respective countries as to, the above dependence in years 1970 -1975. The industrial growth trends in most of European CMEA countriested gradually decreased, with the set-back and stabilization of participation of industry in national economy most evident in countries with the lowest level of national income per one employee (GDR, Czechoslovakia). Besides, in years 1970-1985 a considerable break in the continuity of the process of eliminating differences in the levels of economic growth took place. In effect, in years 1981 -1985 some countries (especially Poland and Hungary) were more backward in their industrial growth than others. Although the indexes of dynamics of industrial export and import in particular European CMEA countries showed favourable tendencies, their comparison with the period of 1960 -1970 reveals, a set-back in growth. In effect, both in particular countries as well as in the CMEA as a whole, the participation of industrial export and import in the world market decreases.Digitalizacja i deponowanie archiwalnych zeszytów RPEiS sfinansowane przez MNiSW w ramach realizacji umowy nr 541/P-DUN/201